The newspaper had carried a report alleging that the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President committed fraud during the military administration of the late Mike Onyearugbulem.

The report, which was published on the front page of the paper yesterday, said Akeredolu, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the late Onyearugbulem administration, was indicted for N9.2 million fraud by the Justice Rasheed O. Fawehinmi-led judicial probe.

The local newspaper also said the ACN standard bearer had been banned from holding any public office for 25 years.

But in a statement in Akure, the state capital, the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) said the frontline lawyer had challenged the report of the probe panel in a suit filed at the State High Court, Akure.

The matter was presided over by Justice P.I. Odunwo of the same court.

ACO said Akeredolu opted to settle the matter out of court, following apologies by the late Adebayo Adefarati administration, as agreed upon on December 10, 2002.

A statement in Akure by ACO spokesman, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, described the allegation as fruitless, fallacious and of no effects.

The statement noted that the latest antics of the ruling Labour Party (LP) administration, led by Governor Olusegun Mimiko, to misinform the people of Ondo State about the credibility of its candidate, would fail.

The statement reads: “Among other things sought by Mr. Akeredolu in the suit, after the Ondo State Government and its team of lawyers had decided to settle out of court, following apologies by the late Adebayo Adefarati-led government, as agreed upon on December 10, 2002, were that the proceeding of the judicial commission, as it affects the applicant, is hereby set aside.

“That the decision of the Ondo State Government on the findings of the Judicial Commission, as it affects the applicant, is also hereby set aside. That the applicant will withdraw the action in the suit, which he instituted against the first to the fifth respondents, for libel. Those parties shall bear their respective costs.

“That counsel to the parties shall execute the terms of settlement, which shall form the judgment of the court in consolidated suits…

“Thus, following the consolidation of the two suits filed in respect of the case and non-opposition to the term of agreements by both parties, Justice Odunwo granted the prayers of the plaintiff/ applicant, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu.

“Justice Odunwo had said: ‘In view of the fact that the two suits …have been settled amicably out of court by the parties, on the basis of the terms of settlement filed on December 10, 2002 and on the application of Mr. O. O. Akeredolu (SAN), which application is not objected by Mr. Daniel Onukun, the terms of settlement in respect of the two matters stated above are hereby made the judgment of this honourable court.’

“The certified true copy of the judgment of the case was dated December 10, 2002 and signed by Justice P.I. Odunwo and E.A. Orimoloye, the Principal Registrar of the court.

“For us in ACO, the latest antics of Mimiko are those of a desperate man knowing well that his days in the Government House at Alagbaka are numbered. Why does Mimiko now embark on frivolous methods to stop Akeredolu, when he claimed that he was no match for him?

“It is even more laughable that a governor, who has been power in the last three and a half years and a former minister for that matter, does not know that a Board of Enquiry has no legal backing to ban anybody from seeking a public office.

“ACO wishes to educate him with the case of Atiku Abubakar vs the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2007, in relation to the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF). In it, the Supreme Court gave a final judgment that boards of enquiry have no such powers.

“It would also interest Mimiko and his co-travellers to know that even if the law court indicts somebody, it would only last for 10 years. The event in question, which is even false, took place in 1999, which is about 13 years ago.

“In fact, the fear of Akeredolu has become the beginning of wisdom for Mimiko, as the ACN confidence has been boosted with various frivolous allegations. Akeredolu has since promised to submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and security agents for probe.”

ACO maintained that no amount of these antics will save Mimiko and his LP from being voted out on October 20 as he has been rejected by the people of the State for his poor performance.

If this is part of Mimiko’s seven jokers for winning election in the state,he should be advised that it is no joker at all because it doesnt work in this 21st century.Ondo state people are wiser and more sophisticated.Let him reserve his remaining jokers for the first set of pupils in his yet to be completed mega ‘nonsense’ school.From ‘Dara,Idanre,Ondo state.